2 Million Lose Jobless Benefits As Holidays Arrive

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

Extended unemployment benefits for nearly 2 million Americans begin to run out Wednesday, cutting off a steady stream of income and guaranteeing a dismal holiday season for people already struggling with bills they cannot pay.

Unless Congress changes its mind, benefits that had been extended up to 99 weeks will end this month.

That means Christmas is out of the question for Wayne Pittman, 46, of Lawrenceville, Ga., and his wife and 9-year-old son. The carpenter was working up to 80 hours a week at the beginning of the decade, but saw that gradually drop to 15 hours before it dried up completely. His last $297 check will go to necessities, not presents.

"I have a little boy, and that's kind of hard to explain to him," Pittman said.

The average weekly unemployment benefit in the U.S. is $302.90, though it varies widely depending on how states calculate the payment. Because of supplemental state programs and other factors, it's hard to know for sure who will lose their benefits at any given time. But the Labor Department estimates that, without a Congress-approved extension, about 2 million people will be cut off by Christmas.

Congressional opponents of extending the benefits beyond this month say fiscal responsibility should come first. Republicans in the House and Senate, along with a handful of conservative Democrats, say they're open to extending benefits, but not if it means adding to the $13.8 trillion national debt.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jcR20AcXoJXSb3MGnTGgwXuZYM8A?docId=fcf1543b1ad04247845ac58e8ccf176a

[bemildred]

1. Merry Christmas. nt

[somone]

2. 2,000,000 families

many with children.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. What sort of people people would cut off people's benefits?

[Skittles]

6. easy answer?

the same people pimping for wars and tax cuts for the obscenely rich

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. I just wrote to my congressmen

[progressoid]

14. Well, we gotta have our priorities.

:banghead:

[glinda]

4. Will the media step up to the plate and put "Republicans trash unemployed" on

the front page or lead story? Not likely. What the hell is wrong with this Country.

[TomCADem]

5. Agree - We Need to Stop Giving Republicans Who Oppose A Free Pass

[Skittles]

7. nope, it will be blamed on Obama

repukes know how to play some sick games, but they work

[AlbertCat]

16. Will the media step up to the plate and put "Republicans trash unemployed"

Nope.

But you might see OBAMA UNABLE TO PASS BENEFITS FOR UNEMPLOYED

[AsahinaKimi]

9. This is not the country

I grew up in. I don't know it anymore, because all of a sudden Ebenezer Scrooge is a role model. MONEY FOR XMAS? BAAH~HUMBUG!

[ProfessionalLeftist]

10. They don't mind extending tax cuts to the rich which adds to the national debt

THAT is just hunky-dory, eh?

OHHHHH the hypocrisy.

Repigs WANT a dismal Christmas and a dismal (ie:NO) recovery. That way, Obama fails and they have 2012 in the bag.

I don't hear a single Democrat on the airwaves talking about this. Why? They ought to be out there pounding Hell out of those pigs for this. Shame them to Hell & back for it.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

13. i don't hear fom the Dem congress

[rucky]

18. And we're talking 56B vs. 700B

For roughly the same number of people in each group who benefit. One group would be able to eat. The other would be able to pay for 2000 lap dances, or healthcare for 25 families per tax break.

Who says you can't put a price on a person's value?

[Ruperto31]

11. What will happen to these people? Can they get welfare? n/t

[classysassy]

12. The Grinch and his followers

I'll bet my last Peso not a single congress critter or their families will suffer this Christmas.Every God fearing citizen should write their congress person and tell them if they don't extend the benefits for the unemployed they will not get their vote come election time in two years.Any time of year is a bad time to be unemployed,but during the season of Joy it's disgraceful.PLEASE FLOOD CONGRESS WITH E MAILS AND LETTERS LET THEN KNOW WE ARE NOT GOING TO FORGET IF THEY STOP THE BENEFITS.

[defendandprotect]

15. We should be jamming the phones in Congress tomorrow and the White House ....

this is horrible --

STRESS kills in more ways than one --

and the members of Congress doing this are profitting from denying benefits

to those in need --

They've purposefully destroyed jobs and the economy -- in the interests of their

corporate sponsors!!!

And, if anyone thinks that any of this is going to get better, I'm quite sure they're

very wrong -- this will all only worsen.

[Hannah Bell]

17. 5 million by april, nearly 2% of the population. meanwhile, the dems debate

giving 67 billion a year to billionaires.

[TexasObserver]

19. Now, THAT is a War on Christmas.

Scoorge was nothing compared to the GOP.

[cali]

20. I can't help wondering how many of those folks voted for republicans

[mwb970]

21. This is what amazes me.

For the life of me, I cannot fathom why anyone with a brain would vote for any republican for any office whatsoever. The result is so predictable! We're beginning to see it now, as we begin our journey back to Hell.

[boston bean]

23. What difference would it have made??? nt

[inna]

26. pretty ignorant fucking comment.

my state alone is likely to lose nearly half a million jobs, and we as a state are as solidly blue as they come, nothing short of a Democratic stronghold, tyvm.


ETA: I didn't mean "lose jobs" of course, I meant "cut loose", cut off UE benefits.

[SpiralHawk]

22. "Thanks a steaming pantload, tax-dodging Republicon fatcats." - Joe & Jane American

[booksenkatz]

24. "Holidays" arrive? Try "cold winter weather" arrives. NT

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. +1000

[laughingliberal]

25. No worries. Obama is delaying his vacation to make sure they get a deal for billionaire's tax cuts.

Don't you feel better now?

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama is considering at least a short delay to the start of his holiday vacation in Hawaii so he can try to work out a deal with congressional Republicans on the Bush tax cuts that expire December 31, CNN has learned.

Two senior administration officials tell CNN the White House has been getting signals that the lame duck session of Congress could drag on past December 18, when the president is scheduled to depart for Hawaii.

Obama has privately said he is willing to stay in Washington until Christmas Eve if necessary to finish the contentious debate over taxes, the officials said.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/11/30/obama.vacation.tax.cuts/index.html

[Blue Owl]

27. Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

:sarcasm:

[Johnny2X2X]

29. A HUGE DEAL

This is all we should be talking about right now. It should lead every talk show, every news program and headline every Newspaper. It's sad to see those is Congress playing Politics with people's lives. This is devastating to the people most in need. Democrats should shove this down the throats of the Republicans and pass it no matter what it takes.

[Karenina]

30. Bank losses are being socialized as their profits are privatized.

This does not work, nor has it ever. You can't squeeze blood out of a stone. It's happening EVERYWHERE, GLOBALLY! Obama is but a cog in the same wheel. Who watched the Irish being sold off to the IMF by their Leader, who is likely to get his ass kicked? No matter, the ink is dry on the sell-off deal. Personalizing this phenomena onto one actor or another reveals a basic misunderstanding of "THE SYSTEM."

Wikileaks has pulled back the curtain on how that all goes down. I do so hope the "bank files" get released. SPOT THE LIE. FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!